Trolley-retrieving device.



No. 791.750. EATENTED JUNE e, 1905.-

. E. B. CLARKE.' f TROLLEY EETEIEVING DEVICE.

APPLIGTION'IILBD SEPT. 3, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET' l.

y, PTENTED JUNE 6, 1905. E. E. CLARKE. TROLLEY RETRIEVING DEVICE.-

ABPLIATION FILED SEPT. 3, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

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, provide a simple, durable, and

yPatented June V6, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY B. CLARKE, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS.

TROLLEY-RETRIEVING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 791,750, dated J' une 6, 1905.

I Application filed September 3, 1904:. ISerial No. 223,284'.

T0 LZZ- whom it 11cm] concern: l

Be it known that I, HENRY B. CLARKE, of Oak Park, in the county of Oookand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful gaged with the cross-Wires and overhead supports, with the consequent damage thereto.

Among the salient objects-of the invention.

are to provide a device of the character referred to adapted to be attached to and operate upon the base of a trolley-pole, thereby locating the device upon the roof of the car in an out-of-the-way place; to provide a device adapted to utilize an auxiliary power,

I'such as air-pressure, generated by the driving mechanism of the car, for the purpose of catching a trolley-pole and returning it to a position free from the cross-wires and overhead supports; to provide in such a device a valve mechanism connected with and operated by the trolley-pole, whereby the abnormal movement of the latter loperates to automatically put into operation said auxiliary power for the purpose referred to, and, in general, to

practical device of the character referred to. The invention will be readily understood from the following description of one embodiment thereof when considered with the accompanying drawings, illustrating same, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of device attached to the lower end of a trolleypole with parts broken away and parts shown in section. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device attached to a trolley-pole in its normal position', and Fig. 4 is asimilar view with the trolley-,pole in theposition in which it is held after the'device vhas operated. Y

Referringto the drawings, 1 designates a trolley-pole pivotally supported at 2 upon a standard 3, mounted upon the top of a c'ar or other support. The lower end of said trolleypole projects beyond the pivotal pointas at 1, and has attached thereto a rod member 5, which extends back and is secured to a collar 6, slidably mounted upon a supporting-bar 7,

secured to a block member 8 upon the stand- 1 ard 3. A coiled expansion-spring 9, mounted upon the supporting-bar 7 between the collar 6 and the block member 8, tends to move said collar outwardly upon said bar 7, thereby holding the upper end of the trolley-pole in yield-v ing engagement with the trolley-wire.

10 designates a bracket-like member upon the trolley-pole adjacent the standard 3 and having a slightly-curved bearing-surface 11, over which rides abrake-shoe l2, pivotally supported upon an arm 13 and adapted to be brought into frictional engagement with said bearing-surface 11 in a manner and for apurof said arm 13 is pivoted to the trolley-pole,

as at 14:.

- with the piston-rods 21 and 22, Working through the stuffing-boxes 23 and 24 and pivotally connected, respectively, with the trolley-pole l, as at 25, and with the brake-shoe 12 and arm 13, as at 26.

The partition-wall 27 between the chambers 17 and 18 is provided with a plurality of communicating ports 28, hereinafter referred to, while 15 designates a vent opening,from the chamber 17 in the rear of the piston 19.

The valve-piston 2O in the chamber 18 is of a hollow cylindrical form, closed at one end. The end of the piston-rod 22 passes slidably through said end closure, as indicated vat 20', Fig. 2, and is rigidlyconnected with the. end of a similar but smaller hollow cylindrical pose hereinafter referred to. The upper'end member 29, movably mounted within the valve-piston head 20. A spring 30, mounted upon the end -of the piston-rod 22 between the end of the inner cylindrical member` 29 and the end closure of the piston-head' 20, yieldingly retains the members in the position shown in Fig. 2, whereby a port 31 in the wall of the cylindrical member 29 is lheld normally out of register with a similar port 32 in the wall of the member 20, said port 32` being in communication at all times with one or another of the ports 28l in the partitionwall 27 and the other ports 28 being closedagainst communication between the chambers 17 18 by the cylindrical member 20. A collar 33, rigidly mounted upon the lpiston-rod 22, limits the movement of the cylindrical sure, to the cylinder 15, said pipe passing upwardly through the standard in the'present instance, as Vindicated at .37, and from said standard'in'tothe outer end of the chamber 18, as at 38. A branch pipe of smaller diameter and designated 39 leads from the main pipe 36into'the opposite end of the chamber 18, as indicated at 40, whereby the `pressure in said chamber 18 at one side of the valve-pistonhead equals or balances that at `the other sideof said piston-head.

In order to provide for certain bodily movement ofthe cylinder 15 upon its pivotal support, a flexible section 41, composedof wirewrapped hose, 'is provided and forms a portion of the pi-pe 36. Flexible joints 42 and 43 are also provided, respectively, in the main pipe'36 and the branch pipe 39.

A limit-link 44 is mounted upon -the trolley-poleLand engages the arm 13 to prevent said-arm Vfrom beingmoved outwardly too far under the vtension ofthe spring 22.

45 designates a spring-closed vent-cock of any suitable and well-known type mounted upon vthe cylinder 15 and communicating with the chamber 17in front of the piston-head 19. This 4cock is opened by the conductor or other 'attendant by means of a cord 46 after he has taken the trolley-cord for the purpose of returning-thetrolley-.pole to the wire, said ventvalve being opened sufficiently to permit the air to escape from the cylinder-chamber 17, and thus permit .the trolley-pole vto move upwardly-under the'tension of its spring 9 and be replaced upon the wire in the usual manner.

' The operation of the device may vbe briefly stated as follows: The trolley-pole moves upwardly against the trolley-wire by reason of itsspring 9 in the mannerdescribed, and when the trolley-pole accidentally jumps from the wire the tension of said spring 9 tends to throw it upwardly into a vertical position and into engagement with the cross-wires and overhead `supports,with the consequent damage to the same. Assuming that the trolleykpole Ihas accidentally left the wire and started to move upwardly under the tension of said spring, the movement of the pole carries the piston-rods 21 and 22, the forward movement of the piston-rod 22, however, being momentarily retarded until the brake-shoe 12 engages the bracket 10, whereupon the forward movementof thetrolley-poleis transmitted,through vthe piston-rod 22, to the inner cylindrical member 29, which is carried forward within the piston-'head 20 until the port 31 registers with the port-32 and one of the ports 28. Thereupon the air under pressure in the cylinder 29 and the chamber 18 is free to escape into the chamber 17 in front of the piston-head 19, forcing the llatter ltoward the rear endof the chamber 17 and drawing the trolley-pole with it to a position somewhat below the trolley-wire by means of the piston-rod 21, where it is held until released by opening the vent-valve 45 by pulling the cord 46. It is to be understood that the air-pressure in front of the piston-head 20, together with the inertia of the piston member 20, during the initial forward movement of the member 29 is sufficient to overcome the tension of the spring 30 and permit `the member 29 to move forwardly sufiieiently to bring the port 31 into register with the port 32 for a sufficient time to cause the increased pressure in the chamber 17 in front of the piston-head 19 to carry the latter backwardly enough to pull the trolleypole to a safe position.

The valve mechanism which controls the inlet to the chamber 17 is connected to the trolley-pole by the piston-rod 22, the brakeshoe 12, and the arm 13. By this construction a lost motion is established between the movement of the trolley-pole and the starting movement of the valve mechanism by reason of the fact that the pole moves forwardly a short distance before the brake-shoe is engaged by the bracket 10, which engagement then pulls forward the valve-mechanism piston 22 in the manner described. After the pressure in the chamber 18 in front of the valve mechanism 20 is overcome and the inertia of the member 20 the spring 34 moves the piston-rod 22 forward suliiciently to release the brake-shoe from frictional engagement with the bracket l() and the parts assume their normal position, as shown in Fig. 1.

While I have herein shown and described a device adapted to use the air generated by the car for its brake mechanism, it is obvious IOO lIO

that the device can be adapted to utilize any actuating Huid and that alterations and modiiications in the mechanism can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention,`

' comprising in combination with a trolley-pole,

a fluid-chamber, aiiuid-actuated piston mounted within said chamber and operatively connected with said trolley-pole, a Huid-supply pipe to said chamber, an automatic valve mechanism controlling theinlet to said chamber, and a lost-'motion connection between said valve mechanism and said trolley-pole, for the purpose described.

2. Aretricving device for trolley-poles, comprising in combination with a trolley-pole, a casing provided with primary and secondary fluid chambers with communicating ports therebetween, a fluid-actuated piston mounted within said primary chamber and operatively connected withsaid trolley-pole, a valvepiston mounted within said secondary chamber and operatively connected with said trolley-pole, said valve mechanism adapted to control the ports opening into said primary chamber, and a fluid-supply pipe into saidv secondary chamber, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. A retrieving device for trolley poles,

comprising in combination with a trolley-pole, a casing provided w1th primary and secondary iiuid-chambers with communication therebetween, a Huid-actuated piston Within said primary chamber and operatively connected with said trolley-pole,avalve-piston within said secondary chamber and adapted to control the communication-inlet to said primary chamber, a fluid-supply pipe discharging into said secondary chamber, and a lost-motion connection between said trolley-pole and said valve-piston, whereby an abnormal movement of said v trolley-pole actuates said valve-pistonto open the ycommunication into said primary chamber, for the purpose describe y 4. A retrieving device for trolley -poles, comprising in combination with a trolley-pole, a casing provided with primary and secondary fluid chambers with `communicating ports therebetween, a fluid-actuated piston mounted within said primary chamber' and operatively connected' with said trolley-pole, avalve-piston mounted within said secondary chamber to control the inlet to said primary chamber, said valve-piston comprising a two-part member with openings therein adapted to be brought into register with each other and with the communicating ports. into said primary chamber and being normally heldv out of register with each other, said valve-piston being connected with said trolley-pole, whereby an abnormal movement of said trolley-pole 'moves the openings in said two-part member into register with each other andopens communication between said primary and secondary chambers, and means for supplying an actuating vfluid under pressure to said secondary ch amber, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. A retrieving device for trolley poles, comprising in combination, a fluid-chamber, a fluid-actuated piston within said chamber and connected'with said pole, a valve-chamber with vcommunicating ports into said Huid-chamber,

a two-part valve member operatively connected with said trolley-pole and controlling said communicating ports, the parts of said member having openings therethrough adapted to be moved into register'with each other and with the ports into said fluid-chamber by any abnormal movement of said trolley-pole, and means for supplying actuating Huid under pressure tosaid valve-chamber.

6. Ina trolley-retrieving device, the combination with the trolley-pole, oa casing provided with primary and secondary air-chambers, a piston mounted within said primary chamber and operatively connected and moving with said trolley-pole, a valve-piston within said secondary chamber and controlling the communication between said primary and secondary chambers, said valve-piston being connected by a lost-motionv connection with said trolley-pole, whereby the movement of said trolley-pole under abnormal conditions operates to actuate said valve-piston, and a supplypipe with branch for supplying air under pressure into said secondary air-chamber at each end thereof, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7. In a trolley-retrievingdevice, the combination with a trolley-pole, of a bracket member upon said pole having a brake bearing-surface, a brake-shoe pivotally mounted upon said trolley-pole and adapted to swing into frictional engagement with said bearing-surface, a casing provided with a primary and a secondary air-chamber and pivotally supported adjacent said trolley-pole, a piston mounted within said primary chamber and operatively connected With said trolley-pole,a piston-valve within said secondary chamber and controlling communicating ports between said primary and secondary chambers, said pistonvalve being connected with said brake-shoe and adapted to be operated by the movement of said trolley-pole and brake-shoe, in the manner described, a supply-pipe for delivering air under pressure to said secondary chamber, said supply-pipe being provided with a branch, Wherebyair is delivered into each end of said chamber, and a vent-cock mounted upon said casing and communicating with said primary chamber, all substantially as and for the purpose described.

- 8. A trolley-retrieving device, comprising a IOO lnid-eharnber, a fluid-actuated piston within said chamber and connected with said trolley, a valve-chamber alongside of said Huid-chamber with communicating ports therebetween, a piston-valve Within said valve-chamber controlling said ports, the piston-rod of which is connected With said trolley-pole and positively moved in either direction by the movement oi szud pole, and means for supplying actuating' fluid under pressure to Said vulve-elmniber.

HENRY B. CLARKE. VVitnesseS:

ALBERT H. GRAVES, I. W. BROWN. 

